Yahoo Finance A Sliding Share Price Has Us Looking At Anglo Asian Mining PLC's (LON:AAZ) P/E Ratio
To the annoyance of some shareholders, Anglo Asian Mining (LON:AAZ) shares are down a considerable 41% in the last month. The stock has been solid, longer term, gaining 13% in the last year.
All else being equal, a share price drop should make a stock more attractive to potential investors. While the market sentiment towards a stock is very changeable, in the long run, the share price will tend to move in the same direction as earnings per share. So, on certain occasions, long term focussed investors try to take advantage of pessimistic expectations to buy shares at a better price. Perhaps the simplest way to get a read on investors' expectations of a business is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). A high P/E implies that investors have high expectations of what a company can achieve compared to a company with a low P/E ratio.
See our latest analysis for Anglo Asian Mining
Does Anglo Asian Mining Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?
Anglo Asian Mining has a P/E ratio of 6.35. The image below shows that Anglo Asian Mining has a P/E ratio that is roughly in line with the metals and mining industry average (6.4).
Anglo Asian Mining's P/E tells us that market participants think its prospects are roughly in line with its industry. So if Anglo Asian Mining actually outperforms its peers going forward, that should be a positive for the share price. I would further inform my view by checking insider buying and selling., among other things.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
P/E ratios primarily reflect market expectations around earnings growth rates. If earnings are growing quickly, then the 'E' in the equation will increase faster than it would otherwise. And in that case, the P/E ratio itself will drop rather quickly. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others -- and that may attract buyers.
In the last year, Anglo Asian Mining grew EPS like Taylor Swift grew her fan base back in 2010; the 72% gain was both fast and well deserved.
Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits
It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings.
Such expenditure might be good or bad, in the long term, but the point here is that the balance sheet is not reflected by this ratio.
How Does Anglo Asian Mining's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?
With net cash of US$15m, Anglo Asian Mining has a very strong balance sheet, which may be important for its business. Having said that, at 13% of its market capitalization the cash hoard would contribute towards a higher P/E ratio.
The Verdict On Anglo Asian Mining's P/E Ratio
Anglo Asian Mining has a P/E of 6.4. That's below the average in the GB market, which is 12.5. The net cash position gives plenty of options to the business, and the recent improvement in EPS is good to see. The below average P/E ratio suggests that market participants don't believe the strong growth will continue. Given Anglo Asian Mining's P/E ratio has declined from 10.8 to 6.4 in the last month, we know for sure that the market is more worried about the business today, than it was back then. For those who prefer to invest with the flow of momentum, that might be a bad sign, but for deep value investors this stock might justify some research.
Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. If it is underestimating a company, investors can make money by buying and holding the shares until the market corrects itself. Although we don't have analyst forecasts you might want to assess this data-rich visualization of earnings, revenue and cash flow.
But note: Anglo Asian Mining may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio below 20).
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
